Copyright... iii. Legal Disclaimer... iv. Introduction Common Diabetic Foot Problems When To Contact Your Doctor... 13

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2 Copyright... iii Legal Disclaimer... iv Introduction... 6 Common Diabetic Foot Problems... 7 Common Diabetic Foot Problems... 7 When To Contact Your Doctor Tips of Prevention Tips to Prevent Foot Problems Foot Miracle: The Natural Cure Natural Cures Of Common Foot Problems Conclusion ii

3 Copyright Copyright 2014 DiabetesFree.org. All rights reserved. All literary work contained within this book belongs to and is the sole property of its respective authors and publishers. Reproduction, copy or any other form of use of the pieces contained within the book is strictly forbidden without express permission from the author. If plagiarism is discovered, the offenders will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Please respect our property. Please Note: The owner of this book is permitted to print one hardcopy of this ebook for personal use. These rules have been established to protect the rights and ownership of the authors and publishers and to ensure that their work is upheld as their own. PLEASE NOTE: This is NOT a Free Book. You do NOT have resell rights for this book. I have invested years of research into the creation of this resource. May I please ask that if you purchased this book from anywhere other than including ebay, would you kindly report that site to support@diabetesfree.org. Thanks! iii

4 Legal Disclaimer The contents of this document are based upon my opinions of Diabetes Free, unless otherwise noted. This work is intended to share knowledge and information learned through research, experience, and discussions with others. The opinions of others, such as in the comments and the forum, are their own and are not endorsed by Diabetes Free. The information contained herein is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any condition or disease, but rather to provide general information that is intended to be used for educational purposes only. Please consult with your physician or health care practitioner if you have any concerns. By using, viewing and interacting with Diabetes Free or the DiabetesFree.org website, you agree to all terms of engagement, thus assuming complete responsibility for your own actions. The authors and publishers will not claim accountability, nor shall they be held liable for any loss or injury sustained by you. Use, view and interact with these resources at your own risk. All products and information given to you by Diabetes Free and its related companies are strictly for informational purposes only. While every attempt has been made to verify the accuracy of information provided on our website and within our publications, neither the authors nor the publishers are responsible for assuming liability for possible inaccuracies. The authors and publishers disclaim any responsibility for the inaccuracy of the content, including but not limited to errors or omissions. Loss of property, injury to self or others, iv

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6 Chapter 1 Introduction It s no secret. Diabetics have a hate-hate relationship with their feet. From neuropathy to skin changes to calluses, the foot problems just never seem to end. Well guess what? Today is your lucky day. Today is the day you get to say goodbye to all your foot problems for good. Welcome to Foot Miracle. Foot Miracle is an all-natural way to cure your everyday foot problems. You won t be ashamed to show your feet anymore. You will feel better and happier about your feet than you ever have before. Have a problem with calluses and corns? How about bunions or hammertoes? Well once you give Foot Miracle a try, those will be a thing in the past. Remember just like Diabetes Free, Foot Miracle can only work wonders if you follow the instructions and stick to the curing process. You can t expect miracles to happen on their own like everything they need dedication and will power. So what are you waiting for? Give it a try! You have nothing to loss, and only beautiful feet to gain. 6

7 Chapter 2 Common Diabetic Foot Problems Foot problems are common to most people. Anyone can get them, from a simple blister or wart to awful calluses. But for most people foot problems are something they can live with or can heal pretty quickly. However for someone with diabetes a foot problem can lead to serious complications such as an infection or even amputation. That s why it s important to be aware of the common foot problems diabetics are at risk of getting and to know what to look for. Common Diabetic Foot Problems Below are the common foot problems that diabetics can get and the signs and symptoms to be aware of. Athlete s Foot Athlete s foot is a fungus that grows on the feet. It can be caught by direct contact with someone who already has the fungus or by walking on contaminated surfaces. The fungus lives is warm, moist environments such as showers, locker room floors and around swimming pools. Anyone can get athlete s foot but diabetics need to be aware of the signs and symptoms because leaving athlete s foot untreated can cause infection. The signs & symptoms of athlete s foot are: Itching, burning and stinging between the toes or on the soles of the feet 7

8 Cracking and/or peeling of the skin between the toes or on the soles of the feet Blisters on the feet that itch Dry skin on the soles and/or sides of the feet Raw skin on the feet Thick, discolored and crumbly toenails Toenails that easily pull away from the nail bed Calluses A foot callus is a build-up of hard skin which is usually found on the bottom of the foot. All calluses are caused by uneven weight distribution, skin abnormalities, or improper fitting shoes. People with diabetes tend to get foot calluses more often as they can get swollen feet causing their shoes to fit improperly. It s important to be aware of any calluses growing on your feet, and file then down as needed. If you do not take proper care of the calluses they can get very thick, and turn into foot ulcers. The signs & symptoms of foot calluses are: Thick, rough area of skin on the bottom or sides of feet (usually around the heel) A hardened, raised bump on the feet Flaky, dry and/or waxy skin on the feet Blisters Blisters are raised fluid-filled areas of skin that can form from friction, such as shoes rubbing on the same spot of your foot. Diabetics will often get blisters on their feet, as their feet swell often causing their shoes to fit improperly. 8

9 Blisters are important to keep clean so not to lead to an infection. Always make sure never to pop a blister. The signs & symptoms of blisters are: Painful and red fluid-filled bubble under the skin, usually on the heel, or between the toes of the feet. Fungal Nail Infection Fungal Nail Infection is a fungus that infects the toenails. Nail fungus can be brought on by untreated Athlete s foot that has spread to the toenails or a damaged toenail that went untreated. It is important to keep shoes dry and clean if you have an underlying foot problem, as nail fungus thrives off dark, warm and moist environments. The signs & symptoms of fungal nail infections are: Initially, infection can be painless and isolated to one toenail Thick and discolored toenails (usually a green-yellow color) Nail can become soft and flaky and separate from the nail bed Once nail is gone, white and yellow patches will appear where nail once was If condition goes untreated, may cause inflammation around nail bed and walking may be painful Hammertoes Hammertoe is a muscle and ligament imbalance in the toe joint. It causes the middle joint of the toe to bend and get stuck in this position. Hammertoes are usually hereditary but can also be caused by wearing shoes that are too small, 9

10 arthritis, and previous injury to the toe. People with diabetes should contact their doctor at the first sight of hammertoes, as it can become a serious problem due to poor circulation. The signs & symptoms of hammertoes are: A toe stuck in a bent position or upside-down V shape It hurts to put a shoe on, and the shoe rubs against the knuckle of the bent toe Red, and swelling of the bent toe joint Cannot move the toe joint, or hurts when you try Bottom of the foot, under the bent toe hurts Dry Skin Dry skin is cracking and flaking of the skin on the feet. It s important for diabetics to keep your feet moisturized as to reduce cracking, as it may lead to infection. The signs & symptoms of dry skin on the feet are: Rough, flaky or scaly skin on the feet Itching and burning on the feet If condition worsens, cracking of skin can occur causing redness and may bleed Corns A corn is a build-up of hard, thick skin between the toes or near a bony area on the feet. Corns are usually caused by continuous friction against the skin. Just like a callus, corns 10

11 should be filed down with a premise when needed. If you have diabetes you should be aware of any hard skin build ups on your feet, because poor circulation and increased risk of infection can cause complications. The signs & symptoms of corns are: Dry, waxy, transparent and/or horny buildup of skin on the feet Could be hard or soft to touch Painful to touch Bunions A bunion is a deformed big toe that usually bends in toward the second toe. It is caused by an enlargement of the bone or tissues around the base joint that connects the big toe to the foot. This enlargement usually forms a calluses and can become red and tender to touch. Bunions can happen on one or both feet and are usually hereditary. The signs & symptoms of bunions are: Swelling and enlargement of the base joint of the big toe Big toe bends towards the other toes Pain and redness around joint Skin irritation or calluses over enlarged base joint 11

12 Foot Ulcers A foot ulcer is a break in the skin or a deep sore on the bottom of the foot. A foot ulcer is a serious problems for all diabetics as it can cause infection which can lead to amputation if left untreated. Foot ulcers can be caused by minor irritations or scrapes on the feet or from a blister or sore that continued to get worse by constant rubbing of shoes. The signs & symptoms of foot ulcers are: Red craters on the bottom or sides of the feet Thick calluses around the border of the crater Painful and red Fluid and sometimes odor may be present in ulcer Ingrown Toenails An ingrown toenail is when the edge of the nail grows into the skin. They are caused by pressure from shoes, improperly trimmed nails, crowding of the toes or repeated damage to the feet from activities such as running. The signs & symptoms of ingrown toenails are: Redness and swelling around nail of toe If nail cuts into skin, can cause pus or fluid to seep out Painful to touch 12

13 Plantar Warts A plantar wart is a deep wart on the bottom or heel of the foot. A plantar wart can be confused as a calluses as it looks very similar, however a plantar wart will have small pinholes or tiny black spots in the center. The warts can develop in clusters or on their own. Plantar warts are caused by a virus that infects the skin on the soles of the feet. The signs & symptoms of plantar warts are: Small, fleshy, rough and/or grainy patch of skin on the bottom of the feet Black pinpoints in the center of the patch of skin Sometimes painless, however can cause pain or tenderness when walking or standing When To Contact Your Doctor Having diabetes doesn t mean you have to be on foot watch for your whole live. You just need to be aware of changes in your body, especially on your feet. It s important to catch any problems right away. So if you experience any of the following symptoms, contact your doctor: Swelling in the foot and ankle for the first time, or lasts longer than usual Pain in the legs Changes in skin color of the feet or legs Changes in skin temperature of the feet or legs Cracks in dry skin around the heel, especially if they are bleeding 13

14 Open sores on the feet that have fluid or pus, or sores that aren t healing at a good speed Ingrown toenails that are infected Unusual foot odor, or foot order that is persistent 14

15 Chapter 3 20 Tips of Prevention 20 Tips to Prevent Foot Problems People with diabetes have a constant struggle with caring for their feet. They constantly get foot problems and pains due to poor circulation of their legs and feet, which lead to shoes not fitting properly. When your shoes aren t comfortable on your feet, you can get all sorts of foot conditions that can lead to serious complications. However there is something you can do to help prevent these common foot problems from taking over your life. Here are 20 good foot care tips to help prevent foot problems from occurring. Note: If you suspect something is seriously wrong with your feet, contact your doctor immediately. Tip 1: Clean Your Feet Daily Wash your feet every day in warm water. If you have nerve damage due to diabetes, test the temperature of the water with your elbow. Make sure to use a mild soap, preferably organic. Do not soak your feet, just clean. After you are done make sure to dry your feet well, especially in between the toes, where it can be hard to keep dry. 15

16 Tip 2: Apply Lotion to Dry Feet If you have excessive dry skin on your feet, it s important to keep them well moisturized. Apply lotion to your feet after you wash and dry your feet thoroughly. Do not put lotion between your toes, as moisture gets caught in-between toes and can cause fungal infections and irritation. Tip 3: Check Your Feet Daily Try to make a habit of checking your feet daily for any blisters, redness, sores, calluses or anything that may stand out. Having diabetes causes poor blood circulation and it s important to be on top of any foot changes, so you have a better chance of catching any problems early. Do a daily feet check in the morning and before bed and take notes of any changes that occur. Tip 4: Check Your Toenails Just like your feet it s important to check your toenails for any changes. Do a weekly check of all toenails and take note of any changes that occur. When taking care of your toenails, make sure to cut your toenails with a clipper straight across and smooth the nails with a nail file. Never round the corners of your toenails, as this can cause ingrown toenails as the nails grow out. 16

17 Tip 5: Smooth Corns and Calluses During your daily check of your feet, make notes of any calluses or corns. After a bath or shower, when your skin is soft, gently file down the calluses or corns. Use an emery board or pumice stone, making sure to only rub in one direction, as not to irritate the skin. Always remember to soak or wash the emery board or pumice stone after each use. Tip 6: Always Wear Closed-toed Shoes It s important to always wear closed-toed shoes or slippers. Try not to wear sandals or walk barefoot, even around the house. Since diabetics have poor circulation it s important to give your feet the best support. Tip 7: Always Wear Socks Try to always wear socks or stockings. Look for socks and stockings that fit your feet well, have a soft elastic and are breathable or will draw moisture away from your feet. This will improve circulation in your feet and legs, while also helping to eliminate any fungus infections such as athlete s foot. 17

18 Tip 8: Wear Proper Fitting Shoes Always wear shoes that fit your feet well. Try buying shoes made of canvas or breathable leather that you can break in slowly. You can also buy shoes ½ - 1 size bigger than your normal shoe size. There is also wide shoe sizes available at speciality stores. Having more room in your shoes, allow space for your feet to swell and provide comfort for any foot deformities that you may have. Tip 9: Keep Your Shoes Dry Remember to always keep your shoes dry and clean them inside regularly. Having clean and dry shoes help promote healing of any foot wounds and prevents any infections from occurring. Use a disinfectant to kill any bacteria inside the shoes, and sprinkle baking soda or baby powder to keep the shoes dry. Tip 10: Protect Your Feet from Weather Elements Always protect your feet from heat and cold. Remember to wear shoes at the beach or on hot pavement. Never go barefoot. During the winter months, remember to wear comfortable, and breathable socks, even to bed at night. This will not only keep your feet warm, but will encourage good circulation. Tip 11: Improve Blood Flow to Your Feet Aside from wearing good socks that promote circulation, you should also do daily foot exercises. Wiggle your toes, move your ankles up and down, and rotate your ankles 18

19 several times a day. When resting try to put your feet up, and never cross your legs for long periods of time. Tip 12: Stop Smoking Not only is smoking bad for your lungs, it also causes poor blood circulation. If you are diabetic and a smoker, your blood circulation could be a serious problem. Try quitting or cutting back to a few cigarettes a day. Tip 13: Get A Foot Checkup at the Doctor s During each diabetes checkup with your doctor, make sure they examine your feet thoroughly. This is a great time to discuss any foot changes you have found, while doing your daily foot checks. The doctor should check the temperature of your feet, inspect the skin and assess the foot s sensations. Tip 14: Elevate Your Legs Keep your legs and feet elevated using a pillow or support for minutes every day. This will help reduce swelling and improve blood circulation. Try to elevate your legs above your heart level. 19

20 Tip 15: Use Compression Stockings I m sure every diabetic is aware of compression socks and bandages. And for a good reason too, they work wonders at improving blood circulation. Compression bandages put pressure on the area that has fluid retention (swelling) and helps to get rid of the fluid buildup, pushing the blood back to the heart. Tip 16: Reduce Your Salt Intake Try to reduce the amount of salt you take in each day. It s important to eat foods that are naturally low in sodium and never add salt to any meal. Salt increases blood pressure which is a trigger for swelling in the feet. The less salt in your diet the less swelling in your feet. Tip 17: Massage Your Feet Daily Try to make time to massage your feet daily. This is a great way to improve blood circulation in the foot and leg. It also helps to relive any pain associated with swelling in the legs. Try to make a habit out of massaging your feet daily. A good time is after your daily foot check in the evening, right before bedtime. Tip 18: Improve Your Posture Your posture can affect your body in a numerous amount of ways. Bad posture can give you foot, hip, back and neck pains, and can even trigger headaches. Remember to stand 20

21 and sit straight and never slouch. Also avoid standing and sitting for long periods of time to help improve circulation throughout your body, especially your feet and legs. Tip 19: Exercise Regularly A regular exercise routine will not only improve blood circulation throughout your body, it will also improve bone and joint health in your feet and legs. Keep exercise light and don t overdo yourself. A good daily exercise is walking or swimming for 30 minutes each day. Tip 20: Improve Your Nutrition Intake Along with limiting your salt intake, it s important to maintain a well-balanced diet full of minerals and vitamins. Try to include more fruit and nuts into your diet to help decrease inflammation in your feet and leg joints. 21

22 Chapter 4 Foot Miracle: The Natural Cure Diabetes comes will all sorts of monitoring constantly monitoring your blood sugar levels, and monitoring your feet for swelling and sores. Well with the Foot Miracle, you won t have to monitor your feet anymore. There are numerous natural things you can do to help eliminate your foot problems for good. Note: Until you have used Diabetes Free successfully to eliminate your diabetes, we encourage you to continue to check your feet daily for any changes. Natural Cures Of Common Foot Problems Below is a list of natural remedies for common diabetic foot problems: Athlete s Foot: Natural Cures: 1. To help relieve the itchy sensation of Athlete s Foot, try give your feet a nice warm cinnamon water soak. Boil water (not too hot), and add a few cinnamon sticks. Let your feet soak for a few minutes every night. The cinnamon helps clear up the infection. Do this for one full week (7 days). 22

23 2. Also you can use tea tree oil. Tea tree oil is known to work on all fungal infections and Athlete s Foot is no exception. Place tea tree oil on the affected area every day. Keep in mind this natural cure can take several weeks to fully rid your feet of Athlete s foot be patient though, you ll love the results. 3. Or you can try a garlic and olive oil mix to promote healing and to prevent any further fungal infections. Mix together some pieces of chopped garlic and a few drops of olive oil and rub the mixture in between the toes or the affected area. The olive oil acts like a lotion, causing the skin cells to absorb the garlic. Continue this treatment until all symptoms have disappeared. Calluses & Corns Natural Cures: 1. Apply a vinegar soaked piece of bread to the calluses or corn. Take a piece of bread, which will act like a sponge, and soak it in ½ cup of white distilled vinegar or apple cider vinegar. Once the vinegar has been fully soaked, apply the bread to the calluses or corn. Cover with a bandage and rest your foot for approximately 10 minutes. You may need more time if you have a big calluses or corn. Once the 10 minutes is up, remove the bandage and bread. Using a pumice stone, gently remove the dead skin. 2. You can also do a lemon and baking soda paste. Using approximately 3 teaspoons of lemon juice (squeezed lemon works best), 2 teaspoons of olive oil, and 2 tablespoons of baking soda, mix together to form a paste. You want to create a paste that will stay in form. You may need to add more baking soda to achieve the right consistency. Once a paste has formed, place the paste on the 23

24 calluses or corn and wrap with a bandage. Rest your foot for 10 minutes. Remove the bandage and gently remove the dead skin with a pumice stone. This paste can be stored in a tight container, away from sunlight. Continue to apply paste whenever needed. Fungal Nail Infection Natural Cures: 1. To help rid your toenails of a fungal infection use an apple cider vinegar soak. The vinegar will prevent the fungus from spreading while killing any live bacteria. Mix equal parts of apple cider vinegar to warm water, and soak your toenails daily for 30 minutes. This is a great night time routine. Once 30 minutes is up, make sure to dry your toenails thoroughly, as moisture increases fungal growth. Do this soak for a few weeks every night to fully remove the fungal infection. 2. You can also use tea tree oil as an antifungal treatment. Mix a free drops of tea tree oil with one teaspoon of olive or coconut oil. Soak a cotton ball in the mixture until fully absorbed. Apply the cotton ball to the affected toenail, and apply a bandage. Rest your foot for 10 minutes. Remove the bandage and cotton ball and use an old tooth brush or small soft bristle scrub brush to gently scrub the affected nail. Do this 2-3 times a day until all symptoms are gone. 3. Or apply a couple drops of a mixture of oregano oil and olive oil to the affected toenails. Let the drops soak into the toenails for 30 minutes. Once the 30 minutes is up, rinse off the oil mixture and dry your toes and nails thoroughly. Repeat once or twice daily for three weeks or until symptoms are gone. 24

25 Bunions Natural Cures: 1. Use Chamomile to provide relief from bunion pain. Drink a cup of chamomile tea a day, or you can take a used teabag and place it on the bunion. Wrap with bandage and let it sit for 30 minutes, then remove. Do this daily for 2 weeks. The chamomile acts like an anti-inflammatory that helps shrink the bunion and relieves any pain. 2. You can also use turmeric to help reduce bunions. Take 1 teaspoon of turmeric and a teaspoon of olive oil. Mix together and apply to the bunion. Let the bunion absorb the mixture for approximately 5 minutes. Then remove the mixture, and dry thoroughly. Apply oil to bunion daily until bunion reduces in size. 3. Or apply a calendula ointment. You can pick up a calendula ointment from any health food store or nutrition shop. Apply the ointment to the bunion 2-3 times a day for up to a week. The ointment should help reduce the size of the bunion while soothing any pain. Plantar Warts Natural Cures: 1. Use oregano oil and duct tape to remove plantar warts from your feet. Use a couple teaspoons of oregano oil and soak a cotton ball. Place the soaked cotton ball on the plantar wart. Wrap your foot or toe (wherever the plantar wart is) with a bandage and let sit for 5 minutes, or until the wart has loosened up. Then remove, pat dry and place a piece of duct tape over the wart. Let the duct tape 25

26 stay on for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove the duct tape and any dead skin on the wart. Gently pick the skin away and never scrub at the wart, as this causes pieces of dead wart cells to bury deeper in the skin. Once finished, wash all tools used and hands thoroughly to prevent spreading the wart to another part of the body. Repeat this procedure daily for at least 2-3 weeks. 2. You can also do a combination of an Epsom salt soak and salicylic acid pads. Take ½ cup of Epsom salt to a small basin of warm water. Soak your feet for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, dry feet thoroughly and apply a small cotton ball soaked in salicylic acid to the wart. Cover with a bandage overnight. Next morning, remove bandage and scrap any dead skin off of wart. Repeat every night for 2-3 weeks. Foot Nerve Damage Natural Cures: 1. Foot nerve damage can cause all sorts of discomfort, such as stabbing or burning pain in the feet and especially the toes. To cure your foot nerve damage try using cayenne pepper mixed with olive or coconut oil. Use 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper and 1 teaspoon olive or coconut oil. Mix together and rub onto the parts of the foot that are affected. The capsicum in cayenne pepper will feel hot to the skin initially however this heat works into the skin s pain receptors helping relive the pain associated with foot nerve damage over time. For best results, rub feet with mixture once a day before bed, for 2 weeks. 2. You can also increase Omega 3 Fatty Acids and B-Vitamins in your daily diet. Both these nutrients help sooth nerves and relieve pain and inflammation. If you feel you have enough Omega 3 and B-Vitamins in your daily diet, you can up the 26

27 dose by rubbing Omega 3 directly on the feet. The nutrients will get absorbed through the foot and will directly affect the nerves of the foot first. 27

28 Chapter 5 Conclusion Foot problems don t have to keep you down. They don t have to be something that continues to bug you day in and day out. You should be able to walk barefoot on that beach in front of your family, friends and strangers and not be embarrassed. And soon you will be! Foot Miracle is here to help! Continue with the remedies and follow the 20 tips of prevention and you ll be on your way to showing off your feet in no time. 28